Brother Francis Nugent (“Frank”)
Diocese of Paterson
Ordained: 1956
Died: 2011
Assigned as follows:
- 1957: Unknown
- 1958-1959: Sacred Heart Juniorate (Ipswich, MA)
- 1960-1973: Salesian High School (New Rochelle, NY)
- 1974-1978: Don Bosco High School (Ramsey, NJ)
- 1979: Unknown
- 1980-1981: Don Bosco Retreat Center (West Haverstraw, NY)
- 1982-1995: Sacred Heart Retreat House (Ipswich, MA)
- 1996-1998: Salesian Residence (South Orange, NJ)
- 1999: The Salesian Community (Orange, NJ)
- 2000-2002: The Salesian Community (Orange, NJ; Salesians of Don Bosco, S.D.B. (Orange, NJ)
Summary of Abuse Allegations against Brother Francis Nugent:
Br. Francis Nugent, more commonly known as “Frank,” was a priest of the Salesians Order. He was the director of the Salesians’ Don Bosco Preparatory High School in Ramsey, New Jersey, and ran a youth camp in Ellenville, New York.
According to media reports, in 1994, a woman reported that Nugent abused her when she was 14 years old, as well as, two of her minor brothers. She said the monk repeatedly abused one of her brothers and he had become suicidal. In 1980, he drove a car owned by the Salesians into a pond and died. He was 25 years old.
Nugent was removed from his position as director of a youth retreat in Ipswich, Massachusetts. He was sent for therapy and reassigned to another parish upon his return. The woman again reported the abuse to the Order in 1998. She subsequently filed a civil suit, which was settled for $250,000 later that year.
She said, “The press has to keep up coverage of female victims so that more people come forward. I told my story because I thought it would do some good — that others would see Nugent’s name and come forward. He was working for years with children”.
According to media reports, in October 2002, Nugent was named in a civil lawsuit filed by four former students of a Salesian Junior Seminary. The suit alleged they were repeatedly sexually molested by members of the religious order while living at the seminary between 1969 and 1973.
In 2020, Nugent was named on the Salesians list of clergy credibly accused of child sexual abuse.
Nugent died in 2011.
Horowitz Law is a law firm representing victims and survivors of sexual abuse by Catholic priests and other clergy in the Diocese of Paterson. If you need a lawyer because you were sexually abused by a priest in Paterson, contact our office today. Although many years have passed, those abused by Catholic clergy in the Diocese of Paterson now have legal options to recover damages due to a compensation fund created for victims. Call us at 888-283-9922 or send an email to [email protected] to discuss your options today.